diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py b/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
index 0ba9d260a0..025b7d28ed 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/views/main.py
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ class ChangeList(object):
                 qs = qs & other_qs
 
         if self.opts.one_to_one_field:
-            qs = qs.filter(**self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.limit_choices_to)
+            qs = qs.complex_filter(self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.limit_choices_to)
 
         return qs
 
diff --git a/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py b/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py
index 8cc17079a9..023d505eec 100644
--- a/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/models/fields/__init__.py
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ class Field(object):
             return first_choice + list(self.choices)
         rel_model = self.rel.to
         return first_choice + [(x._get_pk_val(), str(x))
-                               for x in rel_model._default_manager.filter(**self.rel.limit_choices_to)]
+                               for x in rel_model._default_manager.complex_filter(self.rel.limit_choices_to)]
 
     def get_choices_default(self):
         if self.radio_admin:
diff --git a/django/db/models/fields/related.py b/django/db/models/fields/related.py
index f3b67862dd..5f6ec83bb6 100644
--- a/django/db/models/fields/related.py
+++ b/django/db/models/fields/related.py
@@ -679,7 +679,9 @@ class ManyToOneRel:
         self.num_in_admin, self.edit_inline = num_in_admin, edit_inline
         self.min_num_in_admin, self.max_num_in_admin = min_num_in_admin, max_num_in_admin
         self.num_extra_on_change, self.related_name = num_extra_on_change, related_name
-        self.limit_choices_to = limit_choices_to or {}
+        if limit_choices_to is None:
+            limit_choices_to = {}
+        self.limit_choices_to = limit_choices_to
         self.lookup_overrides = lookup_overrides or {}
         self.raw_id_admin = raw_id_admin
         self.multiple = True
@@ -695,7 +697,9 @@ class OneToOneRel(ManyToOneRel):
         self.to, self.field_name = to, field_name
         self.num_in_admin, self.edit_inline = num_in_admin, edit_inline
         self.related_name = related_name
-        self.limit_choices_to = limit_choices_to or {}
+        if limit_choices_to is None:
+            limit_choices_to = {}
+        self.limit_choices_to = limit_choices_to
         self.lookup_overrides = lookup_overrides or {}
         self.raw_id_admin = raw_id_admin
         self.multiple = False
@@ -707,7 +711,9 @@ class ManyToManyRel:
         self.num_in_admin = num_in_admin
         self.related_name = related_name
         self.filter_interface = filter_interface
-        self.limit_choices_to = limit_choices_to or {}
+        if limit_choices_to is None:
+            limit_choices_to = {}        
+        self.limit_choices_to = limit_choices_to
         self.edit_inline = False
         self.raw_id_admin = raw_id_admin
         self.symmetrical = symmetrical
diff --git a/django/db/models/manager.py b/django/db/models/manager.py
index d847631c82..93de4a6adc 100644
--- a/django/db/models/manager.py
+++ b/django/db/models/manager.py
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ class Manager(object):
     def filter(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.get_query_set().filter(*args, **kwargs)
 
+    def complex_filter(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return self.get_query_set().complex_filter(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def exclude(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return self.get_query_set().exclude(*args, **kwargs)
 
diff --git a/django/db/models/manipulators.py b/django/db/models/manipulators.py
index fc553bc90c..454c318e5d 100644
--- a/django/db/models/manipulators.py
+++ b/django/db/models/manipulators.py
@@ -261,9 +261,9 @@ class AutomaticChangeManipulator(AutomaticManipulator):
                 # Sanity check -- Make sure the "parent" object exists.
                 # For example, make sure the Place exists for the Restaurant.
                 # Let the ObjectDoesNotExist exception propagate up.
-                lookup_kwargs = self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.limit_choices_to
-                lookup_kwargs['%s__exact' % self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.field_name] = obj_key
-                self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.to.get_model_module().get(**lookup_kwargs)
+                limit_choices_to = self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.limit_choices_to
+                lookup_kwargs = {'%s__exact' % self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.field_name: obj_key}
+                self.opts.one_to_one_field.rel.to.get_model_module().complex_filter(limit_choices_to).get(**lookup_kwargs)
                 params = dict([(f.attname, f.get_default()) for f in self.opts.fields])
                 params[self.opts.pk.attname] = obj_key
                 self.original_object = self.opts.get_model_module().Klass(**params)
diff --git a/django/db/models/query.py b/django/db/models/query.py
index 365ead2a3a..36d7d405bf 100644
--- a/django/db/models/query.py
+++ b/django/db/models/query.py
@@ -297,6 +297,17 @@ class QuerySet(object):
             clone._filters = clone._filters & reduce(operator.and_, args)
         return clone
 
+    def complex_filter(self, filter_obj):
+        """Returns a new QuerySet instance with filter_obj added to the filters.
+        filter_obj can be a Q object (has 'get_sql' method) or a dictionary of 
+        keyword lookup arguments."""
+        # This exists to support framework features such as 'limit_choices_to',
+        # and usually it will be more natural to use other methods.
+        if hasattr(filter_obj, 'get_sql'):
+            return self._filter_or_exclude(None, filter_obj)
+        else:
+            return self._filter_or_exclude(Q, **filter_obj)
+
     def select_related(self, true_or_false=True):
         "Returns a new QuerySet instance with '_select_related' modified."
         return self._clone(_select_related=true_or_false)
diff --git a/docs/model-api.txt b/docs/model-api.txt
index a807efc0d6..72c7f5d8b7 100644
--- a/docs/model-api.txt
+++ b/docs/model-api.txt
@@ -704,6 +704,10 @@ relationship should work. All are optional:
                              ``pub_date`` before the current date/time to be
                              chosen.
 
+                             Instead of a dictionary this can also be a ``Q`` object
+                             (an object with a ``get_sql()`` method) for more complex
+                             queries.
+
                              Not compatible with ``edit_inline``.
 
     ``max_num_in_admin``     For inline-edited objects, this is the maximum
diff --git a/tests/modeltests/or_lookups/models.py b/tests/modeltests/or_lookups/models.py
index 9d62a1266c..cd01447a35 100644
--- a/tests/modeltests/or_lookups/models.py
+++ b/tests/modeltests/or_lookups/models.py
@@ -86,4 +86,11 @@ Hello and goodbye
 >>> Article.objects.filter(Q(headline__startswith='Hello')).in_bulk([1,2])
 {1: Hello}
 
+# The 'complex_filter' method supports framework features such as 
+# 'limit_choices_to' which normally take a single dictionary of lookup arguments
+# but need to support arbitrary queries via Q objects too.
+>>> Article.objects.complex_filter({'pk': 1})
+[Hello]
+>>> Article.objects.complex_filter(Q(pk=1) | Q(pk=2))
+[Hello, Goodbye]
 """